Alphabet aims to ‘do the right thing’, drops ‘Don’t Be Evil’ from Code of Conduct

On October 2, Google completed the process of its transformation into a holding company called Alphabet. With Google having transformed into Alphabet, a new code of conduct for its employees has been posted by the holding company on its website. However, Google’s famous creed “don’t be evil” is now absent from Alphabet’s new code of conduct.A report by the Wall Street Journal pointed out that the corporate code of conduct now entreats employees to “do the right thing – follow the law, act honorably, and treat each other with respect.”According to the report, the Google code, which was written for its 2004 IPO, is much longer and includes rules relating to co-worker relationships, pets, and at-work alcohol consumption, while Alphabet’s sticks to the basics, like avoid conflicts of interest, maintain integrity and obey the law.In conversation with Wall Street Journal, a Google spokesman said, “Individual Alphabet companies may of course have their own codes to ensure they continue to promote compliance and great values. But if they start bringing cats to work, there’s gonna be trouble with a capital T.”In addition, the vast majority of Alphabet employees will still be Google employees, part of the core search-and-advertising unit that is the new holding company’s biggest division.Google has officially turned from being a company to being a part of Alphabet, a holding company that builds upon the strengths of what Google used to be. Nothing has changed as far as work that Google used to do. But as a corporate, Alphabet will lead a group of companies where each one of them aims to be billion dollar businesses.As per a report by Reuters, “After U.S. markets closed on Friday, Alphabet replaced Google as the publicly traded company that will house Google’s search and Web advertising businesses, maps, YouTube and its “moonshot” ventures such as driverless cars.”However, what has caught popular attention is the new Code of Conduct put up by Alphabet on its website. It says, “Employees of Alphabet and its subsidiaries and controlled affiliates (“Alphabet”) should do the right thing – follow the law, act honorably, and treat each other with respect.”Clearly, Google (and now Alphabet) has gone from the omission of ‘evil’ to adopt a new corporate philosophy based on the commission of ‘good’. It may not seem much, but many are reading between the lines and wonder at the corporate stand Alphabet would take on controversial issues.In areas of antitrust, dominating market share which have been areas that Google has been under heavy scrutiny, it is noteworthy that the new Code of Conduct focusses on doing the right thing. We’d wait and watch on how this pans out in the months to come.

Alphabet aims to ‘do the right thing’, drops ‘Don’t Be Evil’ from Code of Conduct
Reviewed by Shrey Kapoor
on
7:30:00 PM
Rating: 5